Ovni 43 - No 04 - mai 1978

Magazine Overview

This document is the May 1978 issue, number 43, of the French ufology magazine "O.V.N.I.", published by the Groupement Langeadois de Recherches Ufologiques. The cover features a striking orange design with the magazine's title and issue details, alongside an illustration of a tractor, two figures, and a stylized circular object in the sky. The price of the issue is 4,00 F.

Contents and Articles

Editorial and Organizational Information

The magazine opens with details about the "Groupement Langeadois de Recherches Ufologiques," an association declared in Brioude (Haute-Loire) on September 29, 1977. It holds regional delegations for "Lumières dans La Nuit" and "CUFOS France" for the Haute-Loire department. The bureau members are listed: Gilbert PEYRET (President), André GOUTRATEL (Vice-President), Annie JOUSSOUYS (Secretary), and Adrienne ANTHORE (Treasurer). Raymond VEILLITH and Daniel VIDAL are listed as honorary members. The legal deposit number is 60173, and the printer is "imprimerie Jeanne d'Arc" in Le Puy. Subscription prices are provided: 4,00 F for a single issue, 20,00 F for an ordinary subscription (6 issues per year), 40,00 F for a subscription including a liaison bulletin (6 issues of O.V.N.I. 43 + 6 liaison bulletins), and 60,00 F for a support subscription (same as the liaison subscription).

Correspondence and Sightings

Letter from Christian de WESPIN to the Royal Observatory of Belgium:

This section features a letter dated October 18, 1977, from Christian de WESPIN to the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Brussels. The correspondent recounts a bizarre event witnessed by Madame Grelot at 67, rue Vanderkindere in Uccle. At 7 PM on an unspecified date, while hanging laundry on her first-floor terrace, she observed a red, blinking, and stationary luminous point in the sky to the southwest, estimated to be over a kilometer high. The object moved silently towards the west, then north, without making noise, and returned to the same spot. It remained visible until around 8:30 PM. Later, at 9 PM, her daughter reported seeing two large, immobile, and silent headlights at an altitude of 400-500 meters to the southwest. The object then moved around and disappeared behind houses and trees, reappearing to the south. At 9:45 PM, it was again immobile before disappearing. At 10:45 PM, it reappeared to the southwest, immobile, and then vanished. The witnesses abandoned their observation. The correspondent requests to be kept informed, noting that airplanes are not immobile and helicopters make noise. He also shares a personal experience from 1968 near Angleur, where he witnessed an immobile orange luminous ball that ascended at incredible speed and turned at a right angle towards the horizon.

Articles Communicated by Eric BITTERLY:

Several articles, communicated by correspondent Eric BITTERLY from Epinal, are presented.

• OVNI in Haut-Var: On the evening of February 20, around 9 PM, Alain Fraisse, an épicier from Carces (Var), witnessed a UFO described as a circular object, about 16 meters long, with illuminated portholes and lights on its lower and upper parts, hovering 5-6 meters above the ground. It was silent. Specialists from the Société Varoise d'Etude des Phénomènes Spatiaux (S.V.E.P.S.) and the Association pour la Détection et l'Etude des Phénomènes Spatiaux (A.D.E.P.S.) investigated this sighting.
• Niort Sighting: On the night of Thursday to Friday, two gendarmes from Lagny (Deux-Sèvres) observed a luminous ball, as large as a full moon, land near the village school. The object then took off with a sound like a partridge's flight. The gendarmes followed its descent in their van. Gendarme Dutel approached within 20 meters of the object, which was scintillating. As he tried to get closer, the object flew away. The gendarmes and several witnesses (a garde-champêtre, a shopkeeper, a tax collector, and the deputy mayor) unanimously confirmed seeing a non-natural phenomenon. No trace of the landing was found.
• Sarrebourg UFO: On Sunday evening, October 19, the concierge of the sub-prefecture of Sarrebourg, Mme Samson, and others observed a very bright UFO crossing the sky. The gendarmerie opened an inquiry.
• Orly UFO: On Friday evening, around 8:55 PM, personnel from the Orly control tower reported a black mass with a luminous trail, observed by two pilots preparing to land. The object reportedly fell near the north sector of the airport. It was also seen by police officers. Before falling, the object allegedly divided into three parts. No incidents occurred with aircraft.

Articles from "Liberté de l'Est" and other sources:

• Orly Incident (continued): Airport security patrols searched for the object without success. (Liberté de l'Est, April 28, 1975)
• Seine-et-Marne Sighting: About a month prior, residents of the southern part of the department reported seeing a UFO on two consecutive nights. On this occasion, in the northern part of the department near Dampnart, 20 people, including a teacher and her 19 students, observed a UFO in broad daylight. The object, appearing the size of a setting sun, was visible for 8 minutes on December 20, around 9 AM. It then crossed the horizon and disappeared.
• Saint-Dié (Vosges) UFO: On the night of Sunday to Monday (September 28-29), around 4:30 AM, a young motorist named Jean-Louis Girold, driving near Saint-Dié, observed a luminous object passing overhead. The object, described as cigar-shaped with red and white lights, seemed to be following him. It appeared to have a turret on top. The object followed him until he reached his village, where he alerted his father, M. Girold, the mayor and school director, who also witnessed the object above the hamlet of Sadez. The object remained stationary for a moment before disappearing behind pine forests. The witnesses were left stunned.
• Historical Cases (1947): Daniel Vidal from Nîmes contributed a series of articles from 1947.
• "Flying Saucers" Mystery: The US Army was investigating the mystery of flying saucers, with aircraft equipped with telescopic cameras deployed. Reports indicated sightings in 38 US states and Canada.
• Train Noise: A woman from Hagerstown, Maryland, reported seeing five objects moving east at extraordinary speed with a sound like a "train rolling in the distance."
• Landing in Idaho: Eight flying saucers reportedly landed on a mountainside near Ste-Marie, Idaho. Each object was described as the size of a five-room house and traveled at high speed.
• US Air Force Investigation: The US Air Force denied reports that a flying saucer had been recovered.
• Australian Sightings: Radio Australia reported sightings of flying saucers in Sydney, though a professor concluded it was an optical illusion.
• Metallic Rain near Washington: M. Harold Dahl reported seeing six "enormous objects of circular shape" with central orifices and hublot-like circles. These objects stabilized at 500m altitude, then ascended to 1,500m, after which a substance was released, causing a "metallic rain."
• Atlantic Crossing: A shepherd from Issoudun, France, claimed to have seen a flying saucer.

Further Sightings and Incidents:

• Bourges Region: A shepherd named M. Bouquet reported seeing 5-6 black points surrounded by a halo, moving from the direction of Bourges. A passing cyclist also witnessed the phenomenon.
• US Discoveries: A "flying saucer" found in Idaho was described as having a diameter of 77 cm, resembling a pair of cymbals. Another found in Wisconsin appeared as two attached bowls with a radio lamp inside, possibly for propulsion, and equipped with two propellers and a small engine.
• Bilbao Sighting: A large, cigar-shaped flying saucer with a red light was seen by hundreds of people in the Bilbao region, remaining at low altitude for about twenty minutes.
• Saône-et-Loire and Gard Incidents:
• Near Uzès (Gard), a couple reported an unidentified flying object that hovered silently above their car. Gendarmes observed a bluish mass with four flashing red-orange lights that disappeared northward.
• In Lays-sur-Doubs (Saône-et-Loire), a farmer found an 8-meter long, 2-meter wide furrow in a barley field, with a greyish substance on the surface, possibly from a UFO landing.
• Colombie Sighting: Three UFOs were observed over Cali, Colombia, by numerous witnesses, including journalists. The objects were described as incandescent rings emitting white light, maneuvering around a hill.
• Creuse Visit: In Guéret, an automobilist observed a red, round object that appeared stable near the ground before ascending rapidly and heading northwest.
• Pony Deaths in Cornwall: The president of a British UFO club suggested that the mysterious deaths of fifteen ponies in Cornwall might be attributable to UFOs, possibly due to anti-gravity fields. The animals were found with broken bones and ribs.
• Welsh Coast Sightings: The successive appearance of over fifty flying saucers in the triangle formed by Swansea, Mid-Wales, and Broad Haven has caused concern among the Welsh.

Ufological Organizations and Research

S.P.E.P.S.E. (Société Parisienne d'Etude des Phénomènes Spatiaux et Etranges):

An article introduces S.P.E.P.S.E., a Parisian group dedicated to researching UFOs and related phenomena. The organization aims to demonstrate that UFOs are not mere fantasies or hallucinations and that some archaeological mysteries might be explained by extraterrestrial intervention. They emphasize the importance of critical thinking, rigorous study, and collaborative research, moving from individual efforts to team-based investigations. S.P.E.P.S.E. uses a liaison bulletin titled "UNOLOGIE CONTACT" for information exchange among ufologists in the Paris-Ile-de-France region. Contact information and a request for a 1.00 F stamp for replies are provided.

Historical Report from "La Montagne"

Triple Testimony near Craponne-sur-Arzon (Haute-Loire):

An article from "La Montagne" dated August 6, 1952, reports a triple testimony from the Sainte Bernadette holiday camp in Jullianges. Three responsible individuals—Marius BALMONT (Assistant Director), Bernard DESGEORGES (Chief Monitor), and Jean VARENNES (Principal Steward)—reported seeing a bluish object on Friday, August 1st, between 8:30 PM and 9 PM. They described it as oval-shaped, silent, and ascending vertically at high speed. The object disappeared after about fifteen seconds above a nearby wood. The journal noted that such incidents increasingly involve multiple witnesses, suggesting they are not isolated events.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue consistently highlights eyewitness accounts of UFO sightings across various regions and time periods, emphasizing the non-natural nature of these phenomena. The magazine appears to adopt a serious and investigative stance, presenting reports from official sources like the gendarmerie and airport control towers, alongside personal testimonies. There's a clear effort to document and analyze these events, with references to previous articles and external publications. The inclusion of information about ufological organizations like S.P.E.P.S.E. suggests a commitment to promoting organized research and critical inquiry within the field. The historical context provided by the 1947 articles indicates a long-standing interest in the "flying saucer" phenomenon. The editorial stance seems to be one of open-minded investigation, encouraging readers to question conventional explanations and consider the possibility of extraterrestrial or unknown aerial phenomena.

Title: L'Écho des Mystères
Issue: 10
Date: November 18, 1977

This issue of L'Écho des Mystères delves into cosmic phenomena and intriguing scientific theories, alongside a comprehensive listing of ufological publications.

The Expanding Universe and Our Galaxy's Motion

The lead article, citing NASA and researchers from the University of California, reports that our galaxy is hurtling through space at an astonishing speed of 1.6 million kilometers per hour. This observation stems from data gathered by a U-2 plane. The scientists, including Muller, George Snoot, and Marc Goronsteien, concluded that this rapid expansion of the universe was precisely orchestrated. They suggest two possibilities: either the conditions prior to the universe's explosion were extremely uniform, or unknown processes have contributed to its uniformity. The article explains the widely accepted theory of the universe's formation: a very dense and hot mass that exploded approximately 15 billion years ago. As it cooled, atoms assembled to form galaxies, stars, and planets. Furthermore, the research indicates that the Milky Way galaxy, our solar system's home, is moving at over 1.6 million kilometers per hour towards the constellation of Hydra. This conclusion was reached by studying the 'Doppler' effect on radiation found in space, believed to have originated from the hot plasma of the initial explosion. Intriguingly, their observations suggest that the universe itself does not appear to rotate, a surprising finding given the observed rotation of planets, stars, and galaxies within it.

Comets: The Architects of Life and Epidemics?

Two prominent English astronomers, Sir Fred Hoyle and Professor Chandra Vikrama Singh from the University of Cardiff, present a radical theory suggesting that comets might be the origin of life on Earth and the cause of major epidemics like the 'flu and the plague.' They posit that the fundamental molecules of life did not form in the primordial 'soup' of early Earth but rather in the core and tail of comets. They theorize that a comet may have impacted Earth four million years ago, introducing the primitive organisms from which all life evolved. If this theory holds true, it has profound implications for biology, medicine, and sociology. The scientists suggest that the influx of fresh biological material from cometary debris could continue, potentially explaining past epidemics and the rapid spread of diseases across the globe in eras when long-distance travel was limited.

Book and Publication Listings

A significant portion of the magazine is dedicated to listing various books and publications related to mysteries, ufology, and ancient civilizations. These include works by authors such as Jean Sendy ('The Moon: Key to the Bible'), Georges Barbarin ('The Secret of the Great Pyramid,' 'The Enigma of the Great Sphinx'), Jacques Borgior ('Extra-terrestrials in History,' 'Extra-terrestrial Civilizations'), Desmond Leslie and G. Adamski ('Flying Saucers Have Landed'), J. Lob and R. Gigi ('UFOs: An Alien Dimension'), Lobsang Rampa ('The Cave of the Ancients,' 'The Gown of Wisdom'), Guy Tarade ('Flying Saucers and Civilizations from Outer Space'), and Steven Spielberg ('Encounter of the Third Kind').

Additionally, the magazine lists several periodicals and bulletins received as press services, covering a wide range of ufological and paranormal topics from various organizations across France, Belgium, and Switzerland. These include 'L'Argus des phénomènes spatiaux,' 'bulletin de l'A.T.S.V.,' 'Les Extraterrestres,' 'FACETTES,' 'L'INSOLITE,' 'KRUPTOS,' 'LIMITES,' 'Recherches Ufologiques,' 'UFOLOGIA,' 'Ufologie Contact,' and 'Siècle Inconnu.'

Library Notice

A notice under the 'Bibliothèque' heading clarifies that the inclusion of a work in the library does not signify endorsement of its content. Readers are encouraged to independently judge the quality and credibility of the authors and their works.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores themes of cosmology, the origins of the universe, and the potential influence of extraterrestrial phenomena on Earth's history and biology. The editorial stance appears to be open to speculative theories, particularly those that challenge conventional scientific or historical narratives, as evidenced by the prominent placement of the comet-life theory and the extensive listings of ufological literature. The publication aims to inform readers about cutting-edge (for the time) scientific discoveries and alternative perspectives on unexplained phenomena.